The Great Kool-aid Debate

Author’s Note: This was written as a challenge for an email list that I’m on. This was the requirement:

*must refer to a month of the year

*must refer to Chinese food or someone must eat Chinese food

*must use the phrase "baby got back"

By: Stephanie Woodworth

“Nuh uh.”

“Uh huh.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Uh huh,” Stef said again continuing to grocery shop.

“Nuh uh!”

“Uh huh.”

“You know she can go all night like this,” Josh said coming up behind Justin and putting a few items in the grocery cart. “Her three year old nephew even gives up before she does.” He leaned over and gave Stef a quick kiss.

Stef turned and stuck her tongue out a Justin. It was as if having a childish banter with one of pop’s leading men was an every day occurrence. “Thank you honey,” she added watching Josh walk away. He looked mighty fine for it being two in the morning. He was wearing navy wind pants, a navy hooded sweatshirt, a baseball cap backwards and wire rimmed glasses. If she wasn’t tired and hungry Stef could have had her way with him right there in the grocery store. That and the fact that Justin was with them.

“What is it that you are fighting about now?” he asked placing a LaChoy Chinese meal in a can in the cart.

“The best kool-aid flavor.” Justin tossed some cookies in trying to hide them from Stef’s view.

“You’re going to pay for those Timberlake. And for the record there is only one kind of kool-aid and it’s grape.”

“Yuck! The only flavor is Tropical Punch.”

“Grape.”

“Tropical Punch.”

“Grape,” Stef said continuing to shop.

“Nuh uh!” Justin ran his hand through his curls. He wasn’t going to win this fight and he knew it. Hell, he really didn’t care. All he cared was that he was spending time with his best friends.

“Uh huh. Josh, did you grab rice?”

“No, you said you’d get it.”

“Damn.” Stef turned to go back to the isle that they’d just left.

Justin watched as she walked away. She had on an outfit similar to Josh’s, but with a one of his t-shirts. “Look,” he said nudging Josh, “Baby got back!”

Josh smacked the back of Justin’s head. “That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about.”

“I know, but man she’s got one hell of a nice ass!”

“Watch it man!” Josh said trying to ignore Justin’s comment.

“Fine,” Justin whined going back to trying to hide things in the grocery cart. “I was just pointing out that you got a fine woman.”

Stef met them in the last isle of the store. “Ready boys?”

“Yep,” Justin said throwing one more box of cereal in the cart.

“Jesus, Timberlake did you buy enough cereal? Do we need to buy a cow too?”

“No, I bought enough milk. I can’t help that I’m a growing boy.”

“Better watch that you grow up and not out,” Stef said poking him in the belly.

“Ha ha, you funny girl.” Justin said with a grin as they began walking to the checkout of the huge Meijer’s. “Damn, you need a map to find your way out of here.”

“Honey, let’s look at the music before we go,” Josh suggested pulling Stef toward the CD’s wanting some alone time with his girlfriend. They’d only been in town a few hours, but Justin was constantly with them.

“I’ll meet you up front,” Justin said heading off in the direction of the checkouts. Josh smiled, grateful.

“What the hell is he doing?” Stef asked as they pushed the cart up to a check out about fifteen minutes later.

“Who knows with him,” Josh said stopping the cart before running Justin over.

“What are you doing, Justin?” Stef asked with her hands on her hips.

Justin dropped to one knee and pulled a Ring Pop from behind his back. “My fair lady, will you marry me?” He slid the candy sucker on her ring finger.

Stef looked down at the diamond shaped sucker, bringing it to her lips and running her tongue around it. “Yum, grape.” She pulled Justin up from his kneeling position. “Sorry Timberlake, but my heart belongs to another.” She leaned forward and gave him a big popping kiss on the lips.

“Man, I even dug through the box to find a grape one,” he said wiping off his mouth. “I hate grape!”

“I know, you like Tropical Punch,” she said unloading the groceries onto the conveyor belt.

They paid for their haul before heading back out into the Indiana night. “Is it always this cold in May in Indiana?” Justin whined.

“No, whiney boy, it’s usually nice. We all can’t live in sunny Florida.”

“You could if you just packed up and moved,” he said simply.

“Yeah, I guess I could. What would I do with my patients?” Stef asked. She’d given moving to Florida to be nearer to Josh a thought or two, but nothing too serious.

“There’s crazy people in Florida too.”

“Only you,” she said smiling.

The short drive to Stef’s house was uneventful. Justin sat quietly in the back of her Navigator munching on dry cereal. Josh stared silently out the passenger window while Stef drummed on the steering wheel in time with the beat of the song on the radio. There was a ton of tension and she wasn’t sure why. If Josh didn’t want Justin to come to South Bend with him all he would have had to do was tell him. Why was he acting so strangely?

“Is my room ready for me?” Justin asked carrying a load of groceries into the kitchen.

“It’s not ‘you’re room’. It’s my spare room and yes, Justin it is ready for you.” Why does it seem that Justin just takes over my house when he shows up? Stef wondered. She continued to put the groceries away wishing that she was in Josh’s arms instead of doing this chore.

“But you hung a basketball hoop on the closet door for me,” he pointed out awfully proud of himself.

Stef had to laugh. “Timberlake, that’s for my nephews. I suppose you thought the doll’s were for you too.”

“Well, now that you mention it I thought it was a bit strange.” Justin smiled placing his cereal boxes in the pantry. “I thought maybe they might be for Lance,” he said laughing. He turned back to Stef more serious and asked, “It is okay if I play with the basketball hoop, isn’t it?”

“Justin, you can play with anything you want,” Josh said wanting to add, as long as you leave us alone for a while.

Once the groceries were all put away Stef smiled at Josh with a twinkle in her eye. She faked a yawn. “Man, I’m tired. Want to go to bed?”

Josh started to agree, but Justin interrupted. “I’m not all that tired, I was hoping that we could watch a movie or something,” Justin said hopefully.

“I’m really tired, can we do it tomorrow?” Stef said wanting to retreat to her bedroom for some alone time with Josh. Instead she found herself being led to her family room and barely staying awake through the movie Justin picked.

As the end credits rolled Josh stood up and stretched. “Sorry guys, I’m going to sleep.” He looked down at Stef curled in the corner of the couch. “Coming?”

“I’ll be right up,” she said standing and kissing him.

After Josh left Stef turned to Justin. “I think we’re going to sleep in late tomorrow. Feel free to take the Navigator and go exploring.” She turned to leave but turned back. “It’s great having you here Justin, I just want some time with Josh.”

“Fine,” Justin said almost pouting.

“You can always call my brother, Nick and see what he’s doing. Maybe y’all can go golfing or something.” Stef left the family room almost running to her bedroom. She hadn’t been alone with Josh in months.

The room was dark when she entered. “Are you alone?” Josh asked.

“Yep,” Stef said taking a seat on her bed. “Are you okay?”

“Do you always have to invite him when I come to visit you?” Josh spoke softly. “I love Justin like a brother, but I see enough of him while were working. Can’t I come visit you without having to play second fiddle to Justin Timberlake?” Josh stood and walked to the window looking out over Stef’s beautifully manicured backyard. “I just don’t understand. Would you rather that he come and not me? Would you rather spend time with him?” He turned back toward her and she could see the tears glistening in his eyes. “Do you not love me anymore?”

Stef stood from the bed in a hurry, walking over to him. “What would make you think that?” She asked trying to place her hand on his arm to comfort him.

He pulled away as if her hand were on fire. “You’re still wearing his ring.”

Stef glanced down at her left hand seeing the candy ring still on her ring finger. “Are you serious? It’s just candy. He was just playing. You aren’t jealous, are you?” Josh shook his head. “You have no reason to be jealous of Justin. I love you. I want to be with you. I only want to marry you.” She was shocked as she heard the words escape her lips. Did she just propose to Josh?

Josh just stared at her. “What’d you just say?” he asked hesitantly.

“I-I,” she wasn’t sure herself. “I asked you to marry me.”

“Are you just trying to appease me?” he asked without thinking.

“No,” she shock her head as the tears began to slide down her cheeks. “I love you, Josh. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I’ve been trying for months to come up with a reason for why I don’t live in Florida. I don’t live there because it wouldn’t be home to me unless I was there with you. I want to live with you. Make love to only you. Have babies with you.” She was smiling through her tears. “I love only you.” She kissed his lips after every declaration.

“Babies?” he asked.

Stef laughed, “Yeah, is that so bad?”

Josh wrapped his arms around Stef’s waist and pulled her to him. He kissed her lightly on the lips. “I love you, Stephanie Marie.”

“And I love you, Joshua Scott.” Stef loved the feeling of his arms wrapped possessively around her. She yawned.

“Tired?”

“Exhausted.”

He took her hand and led her to her bathroom. “Get changed.”

“But,” she began to protest.

“No buts and hurry.” He was waiting for her when she came out in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. He again took her hand and led her to the bed. “Get in and I’ll tuck you in.” Stef climbed into the huge four poster bed and sunk into the pillow top mattress. Josh covered her up and kissed her forehead. “Goodnight. Sweet dreams.”

As soon as her head hit the pillow she was out. The day had been overly exhausting even before she’d picked the guys up at the airport. She’d had a patient at the hospital that had tried to kill herself and had spent hours counseling the young girl. She’d had a full schedule when she got back to the office and didn’t even get away for lunch. The guys flight had been late, overall the day was a total exhaust.

She felt bad when she woke at seven o’clock. She’d only slept roughly four hours. She tried to fall back to sleep but was unable, in the end laying there staring at Josh sound asleep on his side of the bed. She ran her finger down his chiseled cheek bones. He was absolutely gorgeous. She thanked God daily that she’d met him. He’d changed her life. She no longer lived day to day for her patients, throwing family and friends in wherever they fit.

It was a freak accident that they’d even met. Even if they wished Justin would give them some alone time, it was his doing that they were even together. He tried to pick her up in a hotel bar in Los Angeles while she was there for a conference and the guys were shooting a video. Soon Josh had joined Justin and it was obvious to everyone that Josh and Stef were better suited for each other. It had been just over a year ago and now she laid staring at her beautiful, sleeping fiancé. She truly loved him.

Stef slipped from the bed, pulling a robe around her. She quietly tiptoed to the kitchen to make breakfast for Josh. He loved to sleep, but she this morning she thought he wouldn’t mind if she woke him.

With batter mixed and the strawberries cut, Stef began making breakfast for Josh. She wanted to make something special, strawberry crapes sounded like the perfect treat. She was pleased when she found all the ingredients in her cupboards. She was just pouring the batter thinly in the pan for the first crape when she heard someone walk into the room.

“Josh, if that’s you you’d better turn around and go back to bed. I wanted to surprise you.”

“It’s me,” Justin said through a yawn. “Why are you up making so much noise this early in the morning?”

“I’m making Josh breakfast in bed,” she said beaming.

“Are you gonna make me some too?”

“Nope, you’ve got your cereal. This is a special morning for us.”

“Oh yeah, so did you finally …” Justin stopped when she whirled around to glare at him.

Pointing her spatula at him she said, “Timberlake, you’d better think twice before you finish that sentence.” Stef believed in celibacy until marriage and even dating Joshua Chasez wasn’t going to change that. She’d promised her parents and herself when she was only thirteen that she’d save herself for the man she was going to marry. Even though they were now engaged, Stef would still stick by her vow. Josh had a bit of difficulty with it when they first began dating, but with time he’d come to love her more for her beliefs.

“Fine,” Justin walked to the pantry and grabbed out three boxes of cereal, then proceeded to mix them into one of Stef’s Tupperware bowls.

“That’s just gross.”

“No, that’s gross,” Justin said pointing to the breakfast Stef was making. “I wouldn’t want any of your food any way.” Justin stuck out his tongue before taking a spoonful of him cereal.

“I wasn’t going to share anyway.” Stef stuck her tongue out at Justin. “Why is it that when you are around I feel like I’m in the second grade again.”

“I don’t know, but you love me anyway. Right?” Justin flashed his beautiful grin at her.

Stef snickered, putting the last crape on the plate before dusting them lightly with powdered sugar. She place both plates on a tray that held glasses of milk and silverware. “Be good and leave us alone while we eat and we might play with you later,” she teased. She picked up the tray and carefully carried it up the stairs to her bedroom.

Josh was still sound asleep when she entered. She placed the tray carefully on a table across the room before crawling back into the bed. Lightly kissing a line from his forehead to his chin she tired to wake him, but he didn’t flinch. She thought he might actually ruin her surprise. “Josh,” she whispered lightly next to his ear. “Honey, I have a surprise for you.”

Stef was shocked when Josh grabbed her and pulled her tightly to his body. “Morning,” he said smiling at her. “How’d you sleep?”

“Wonderful.”

“Then why were you gone when I reached for you?” Stef tried to pull out of his hold on her. “I’m not letting you go. Let’s cuddle in bed all day.” He smiled at her pressing his lips to hers. “I want to just spend time with you.”

“Okay, but I have a surprise sitting just over there for you.” Stef pointed to the tray. “You’ll like it,” she added.

“More than I like you?”

“Well no, but it’s awfully yummy.” Josh relinquished his hold on her and Stef jumped out of the bed for the tray. “I slaved all morning in the kitchen to fix this for you.”

Josh pulled himself up in a sitting position and propped some pillows behind him. “Oh wow, that looks fabulous. I didn’t know you could cook like this.”

“There are lots of things about me that you don’t know, but I think we have the rest of our lives to figure them out.” Stef cut a small bite of crapes and placed it to his lips. Josh smiled gratefully as he savored the strawberry crapes. “Good?” Stef asked, smiling.

“Wonderful.” He got a devious look in his eye. “Want some?” He placed a bite in his mouth and leaned over to kiss her. As they shared their breakfast, Josh thought nothing would make him happier then this time spent alone with her. “Thank you so much for the wonderful breakfast.”

“You’re very welcome,” Stef said moving the tray back to the table. “Do you really just want to veg in bed all day?” She climbed back into the bed and laid down next to Josh laying her head on his chest.

“That okay with you?”

“Perfect.”

Their plan was changed in a blink of an eye. Justin came running through the door and jumped up on the bed. “Hey you two. Wanna watch a movie or something?” Justin grabbed the remote off Stef’s nightstand and was flipping through the channels.

“Timberlake, I told you to get lost today. Call Nick. Find a new friend. Go away!” Stef yelled at him.

“Are you mad at me?” Justin asked grinning. “Why is she mad at me Jace?”

“Justin Timberlake, you’re a royal pain in the ass.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Uh huh.”

“Nuh uh.”

“Uh huh.”

Josh laid back down and pulled the covers up over his head. It was going to be a long week with Justin, but he was extremely happy and not even Justin Timberlake could ruin that.

The End

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